Streamkit's Secret
by Echostorm
Summary: A one-shot. My second fanfic - Streamkit sees Darkstorm breaking the warrior code, and then she gets that cat as her mentor. This is my story for the AdderClan challenge: Innocent Eyes. R&R! Thanks!


Streamkit followed Darkstorm through streams, past winding trees, and into Twolegplace. _What is he doing here? _She kept thinking as the warrior calmly padded through the dark alleyways and bright Twoleg lights.

Darkstorm's confident strokes and no hesitation told her that he had done this several times before. The tom glanced back several times, but Streamkit's dark tabby pelt and small size hid her from view.

Soon he reached a Twoleg nest that looked the same as all the others, but this time a pretty white-and-silver tortoiseshell was waiting for him on the grey fence, her tail curled neatly around her paws.

_How does she keep her balance on that thing? _Streamkit wondered as Darkstorm climbed smoothly up to join her.

"It's late, Darkstorm." The tortoiseshell meowed, "I was wondering if you would come or not."

Darkstorm touched noses with her. "I would never miss you, Snow."

They stared up at the half-moon for a while, until Snow meowed, "Do you remember the first time you met me?"

"Of course. I would never forget."

"Didn't you chase me out of the forest?" Snow asked.

"I tried," Darkstorm purred, "but I was only an apprentice. You ended up chasing me! I was surprised, for a house cat, you had the skills of a warrior."

Streamkit was wondering what a house cat was, when Snow shook her out of her reverie.

"I train myself every day." She told him.

They twined tails for a moment, and jumped down into the Twoleg garden, where Streamkit couldn't see them anymore, until she went close and looked through the gaps in the fence.

They were battling, but Streamkit could tell Darkstorm was being easier on her, because she was winning almost every time.

Apparently Snow could tell too, because she kept telling him to go harder.

By this time Streamkit was cold, even through her thick, kitten-soft fur. It had started to rain.

Soon Darkstorm sighed and told his mate, "I've got to go. My Clanmates will wonder why I've been out in the rain, and I don't want to be caught here it if starts going harder."

Snow nodded. "Can you come again tomorrow?"

"No, I've got moonhigh patrol. StormClan has been soft about the borders lately." Darkstorm replied. With that he touched noses one last time, then jumped, got a claw hold on the fence and climbed to the top.

"Bye, Snow."

"Bye," the she-cat replied softly. Darkstorm nodded and leaped down from the fence, Streamkit hiding just behind the corner.

The warrior set off at a fast pace, so Streamkit had to run to catch up. This time she wasn't as careful, as the rain could easily hide her sounds. Darkstorm did not look back all the way home.

_It was a dream. Please let it be a dream. _Streamkit thought as she settled into the kit's den, careful not to wake her mother, Petalfall. Her only sister, Rushkit, was curled up in the moss nest.

Streamkit licked herself clean. _I hope Petalfall won't notice._

When she was done, Streamkit settled down, and fell asleep almost instantly.

When Streamkit woke up, it was dawn. Reality crashed down on her when she realized she was wet. _It wasn't a dream._

Rushkit was poking Petalfall. "I hope she'll let us play outside today." Rushkit whispered.

Streamkit rolled her eyes. "We're almost six moons. We can go outside. Now come on!" She added, moving toward the door.

"Okay," Rushkit muttered, "but if we get in trouble it's your fault."

Streamkit sighed and headed out into the sunshine. It was early newleaf, and the medicine cat, Hollyfeather, was hurrying all over collecting new herbs.

"Come on, Streamkit!" Rushkit squeaked, "let's go check out the apprentice den."

Streamkit turned away and the two kits bounded over to the den, where Leopardpaw, the youngest apprentice was still asleep.

"Do you think she'll play moss ball with us?" Rushkit wondered out loud.

Streamkit shook her head. "We're almost apprentices! No more moss ball," she meowed. "I know! You be a badger, and I'll be Blossomstar."

Rushkit bounced out of the apprentice den with Streamkit. "I don't want to be a badger! I'll be Blossomstar, and I'll show you!" Without giving her littermate a chance for a retort, Rushkit pounced, squeaking, and the sisters were batting at each other with their forepaws.

"Streamkit? Rushkit?" Called Petalfall from the nursery. "Where are you?"

The sisters looked guiltily at each other and raced back to the nursery.

"Right here, Petalfall." Replied Streamkit.

Petalfall gave an exasperated sigh. "You're all dusty now! You need to look good for your apprentice ceremony."

Streamkit stretched her eyes wide. "It's today?"

Her mother nodded, and proceeded to lick Rushkit, who was fidgeting. "You need to walk out there like apprentices." She meowed. Both her kits nodded importantly, and she glanced at the Tallrock.

Blossomstar was climbing up, using the ledges in the cliffs. When she got up, the leader of WildClan wrapped her tails around her paws and called, "Every cat old enough to catch their own prey join here beneath the Tallrock."

Streamkit waited, breathless, as the cats congregated beneath the leader. My apprentice ceremony! All thoughts of last night, following Darkstorm, had vanished from her mind.

Blossomstar returned her gaze to the nursery, where Streamkit and Rushkit were waiting outside the den.

"Streamkit, Rushkit, come here." She meowed. When the kits padded forward, barely containing their energy, she continued, "Streamkit, you have reached the age of six moons, and it is time for you to be apprenticed. From this day on, until you receive your warrior name, you will be known as Streampaw. Your mentor will be Darkstorm. I hope he will pass down all he knows to you."

The leader then turned to Darkstorm before continuing, "Darkstorm, you are ready to take on an apprentice. You received excellent training from Pebblefall, and you have shown yourself to be determined and brave. You will be the mentor of Streampaw, and I expect you to pass down all you know to her."

Streampaw cautiously padded up to Darkstorm and touched noses before Blossomstar performed the ceremony on the newly named Rushpaw, giving Streampaw's sister Greyfeather as her mentor.

_Oh no, Darkstorm. _Thought Streampaw as she greeted her mentor.

Her worry must have shown in her eyes, because Darkstorm whispered, "It's okay." Streampaw swallowed and nodded.

After the ceremony, and being congratulated by the Clan, Rushpaw scurried over to her sister. "Can we explore the territory together?"

After her first full day as an apprentice, Streampaw was exhausted. She almost went back to the nursery to go to sleep, before Rushpaw reminded her.

"We're over here now," called Rushpaw from the apprentice den.

Streampaw nodded sleepily and trotted over, ducked inside the den, and curled up. "How's your mentor?" She asked Rushpaw.

"Greyfeather's great! I even learned a battle move along the way." Rushpaw meowed happily, "And Darkstorm?"

"He's pretty good. If I didn't see him in Twolegplace…" Streampaw trailed off, wondering if she should have told Rushpaw that.

"You saw him in Twolegplace? When? What was he doing?" Her sister plied her with questions.

Streampaw sighed, looking around to make sure the other apprentices were asleep. "He was seeing this cat called Snow. A kittypet." She confessed. "I followed him last night."

"But that's completely against the warrior code!" Rushpaw exclaimed.

Streampaw nodded. "I know. I guess I'll have to tell him sometime."

"Okay," Streampaw's sister yawned, "I can't tell you what to do." Too tired to finish the conversation, both sisters closed their eyes. Sleep came on Streampaw immediately.

It had been three moons since Streampaw had become an apprentice, and she still hadn't told Darkstorm she saw him in Twolegplace. Sometimes Streampaw would be easily distracted during training, and embarrassed every time Darkstorm told her off for it.

Besides that, Darkstorm was a good mentor. Streampaw was learning a lot, and her mentor started talking about having her final assessment soon.

_I have to tell him. I have to tell him._ Streampaw kept thinking when she went to sleep, in the morning, but she never got around to telling her mentor yet. The apprentice resolved to telling him after practice, when Rushpaw and Greyfeather went off to practice tree climbing, and Streampaw and Darkstorm went off to practice fishing.

"Um, Darkstorm?" She began awkwardly. "Can I tell you something?"

Darkstorm nodded and turned from the river. "Of course," he meowed.

Streampaw decided she'd better say everything at once. "I saw you with Snow at Twolegplace."

Darkstorm sighed but did not move her gaze from the apprentice. "I suppose it would be only a matter of time before someone found out. When did you see me?" He asked.

"The night before I became an apprentice." She replied.

Her mentor nodded. "I knew this would distract me from my warrior training, so Snow and I made an agreement."

"What kind of agreement?" Streampaw squirmed under her mentor's gaze, wondering whether she should have brought this up.

"She's coming to live with WildClan." She doesn't want to leave her house folk-"

"Housefolk?" Streamkit interrupted. "Sorry," she meowed as he went on.

"Twolegs, I mean," he continued, "I'm going to introduce her to the Clan next half-moon."

"But that's in two days!" Streamkit pointed out.

"Yes," Darkstorm meowed, "but she's trained as a warrior. She's like my second apprentice. And I want her to have my kits."

"So she'll join the Clan?" The apprentice asked.

"If they accept her. But I'd prefer you didn't tell anyone until then. Does anyone else know?" He questioned.

"Only Rushpaw," Streampaw mewed timidly, "But I'll tell her not to say anything."

"Thank you," Darkstorm responded, "and we need to finish this session. Remember, don't let your shadow fall on the water….

At dawn on the second day, Darkstorm came back through the camp entrance with Snow behind him. The she-cat was looking confident, but her eyes had worry in them.

"Who is this?" asked Blazeleaf.

Darkstorm only shook his head. "I need to speak with Blossomstar." He meowed.

"I am here," replied the leader, padding up to her warrior, "why have you brought her here?"

"Snow wishes to join WildClan." Darkstorm stated boldly. "I was hoping we could make room for her." Cutting off any protests, he continued, "and she has the skills of a warrior. Watch."

Before any of the warrior could do anything, Darkstorm sprang at Snow, who was ready. She dashed aside and knocked him off his paws. Flipping him over, while he was unsteady, she raised a paw as if to strike.

Wolftail yowled, "Stop her!" But Snow had released Darkstorm, who got on his paws again.

Blossomstar nodded to Snow. "You are as skilled as any warrior," she meowed, "and I see that you would make a valuable addition to our clan."

The leader turned to Streampaw's mentor. "Do you think she is ready to become a warrior?" She asked.

Darkstorm nodded without any hesitation. "Yes," he replied, "she is."

Without responding, and without raising any protests from the Clan, she began to climb the Tallrock.

_He didn't say the whole truth, _thought Streampaw_, but he didn't lie either. _

"I have three new warriors to make today." She called. The leader did not bother to call the Clan together, as the all of WildClan was already sitting beneath the Tallrock.

"Three?" asked Streampaw, "I haven't had my final assessment yet!"

"You are ready," replied Blossomstar smoothly, "Snow, Rushpaw, Streampaw – come forward."

Streampaw had to stop her legs from shaking as Blossomstar continued, "I, Blossomstar, leader of WildClan, call upon my warrior ancestors to look down upon this apprentice. She has trained hard to understand the ways of your noble code, and I commend her to you as a warrior in her turn."

"Streampaw, do you promise to uphold the warrior code and to protect and defend your Clan, even at the cost of your life?" She asked.

Streampaw thought she would be speechless, but she managed to squeak out, "I do."

In return, Blossomstar meowed, "Then by the powers of StarClan, I give you your warrior name. Streampaw, from this moment on, you will be known as Streamfrost. StarClan honors your intelligence and loyalty, and we welcome you as a full warrior of WildClan." She finished.

Streamfrost stepped up to lick the leader's shoulder, and Blossomstar rested her muzzle on the new warrior's head. "May you always be loyal to your Clan." She mewed softly.

The warrior stepped back and looked Blossomstar in the eye. "I will." She meowed.

**I didn't want to add this, other wise I would probably have to make it into two chapters, but Snow becomes Snowfall, who becomes Darkstorm's mate (predictable) and has Creekkit, Dawnkit and Icekit. **

**Rushpaw becomes Rushwhisker, and Streamfrost has kits with a tom called Oakpool. Streamfrost does become deputy for a little bit but before Acornstar, the new leader, dies she becomes an elder. Blossomstar was on her last life here. **

**Tell me what you think! Thank you! **

**Echostrike **


End file.
